I do myself the honor to enclose, I have to instruct you to inquire into the Reasons why Coll. Van Schaick was superceded in office and that should it appear on such enquiry to have been for misconduct, you inform me thereof, but if otherwise that you earnestly request Congress to do justice to his military Rank & Character. I am &c &c The honble. the Delegates of the State of New York in Congress. [No. 4205.] Captain Job Wright Asks the Governor for Information Concerning Future Service-The Matter of Lieutenant Grant. Ballston, 8th Decem'r, 1781. To his Excellency Geo. Clinton Esqr. Govenor of the State of New York &c &c. Dr. Sir, I am Informed that the late Session has done nothing with Respect to giving any further Encoragements to the officers that have Engaged in the three Years service, and as there is no probability of any further Encouragement in Recruiting, am very Solicitious that myself with Lieutenants More and Hubbell may be Considered and Receive some compensation for our time and trouble, and if we are to be continued that we may be commissioned, as we are the only officers that has been out with the three Years Troops. Agreeable to your Order I have the command of what men has been Raised in both Regiments. I suppose by the time that this reaches your hands, that Colo. Willet will be with your Excellency and should be very happy to know what will be the Result; if the Regiment is to go on, I should be very glad to know, or whether they are to be Incor porated into a Company as there is a Sufficient number already in service for a full Company. I am Informed that there is a Petition gone to your Excellency for the Redemption of Lieut. Grant who was confined for holding a Correspondance with the Enemy; am very anxious to know the names of the Petitioners; if your Excellency will please to favour me with them, I will assign you the Reasons another day. I am Your Excellencys most obedient Humble servant. To Governor Clinton. [No. 4206.] General Stark Orders Colonel Yates to Stand on the Defensive and Not to Begin Hostilities with the Vermonters. (Copy) Saratoga, 8th Decem'r, 1781. Sir, Recd. yours of this day-The Insurrection you mention must be the result of folly & madness you will be very cautious not to begin hostilities with them but stand your Ground and Act defensively till reinforced. Genl's. Gansevoort and V. Rensselaer are raising their Brigades with the utmost dispatch for your Assistance. I am ready to march the whole Garrison when occasion may require of which you will please to give me the earliest intelligan(c)e. I am with respect Your Hum. Servt. To Col. Yates. [No. 4207.] Governor Clinton Commends Colonel Willett and Submits Directions Looking to the Protection of the Mohawk Frontier. Pokeepsie, 9th December, 1781. Sir, The Legislature having at their late Meeting authorized the drawing out from the Militia into actual Service a Number not to exceed 1500 Men for the further Defence of the State, I shall be happy in the continuation of your Services in the Command of one of the Corps to be formed from such Levies and the more especially as it will probably be stationed in the District of your present Command, where I have the pleasure to observe your past Conduct has afforded the most perfect satisfaction. The two New Hampshire Regiments now at the Northward are to garri son during the Winter season the Posts in that Quarter and those now occupied by your Regt. on the Mohawk River; it may, therefore, not be necessary to carry the above Provision into Execution before the Opening of the Spring, but it is essential in the Meantime that every Preparatory arrangement be made so that the Levies may be embodied & ready to take the Field the moment the Frontier settlements become accessible to the Enemy and the more especially as at that Period it is probable the Regular Regiments may be withdrawn. It is, therefore, my Desire as soon as you are disengaged from your Present Command, you prepare & report to me a list of such Officers as you can recommend & are willing to serve in the proposed Regt. having regard in the Command you would wish to have conferred on them to their former rank and services. And as in the course of the winter, Emergencies may exist which may call for the aid of the Militia to repel the Enemy, it is of importance that an Officer Acquainted with the frontier country of Military Experience should be ready to take charge of such detachments as may from time be called into actual service; for this purpose it is, therefore, my Desire that you perform this service as far as it respects Tryon County, and in the same time Desire that you call upon the Commanding officers of Regiments in that County for Returns of their respective Regiments & transmit the same to me with such Information as you may (be) able to collect respecting them as may lead to Arrangements which will render them more serviceable. The Advantages of Snow Shoes in case of Incursions of the Enemy in the Winter season is so obvious that I have only to express my earnest Desire that a small supply of them be procured if possible without creating an Expence which we have not in our Power to discharge. By the returns made me by the Person appointed to muster the Recruits on Bounties of unappropriated lands, it appears that a number nearly sufficient to form a Company were engaged & mustered within the time limited by law for that Purpose, and put under the command of Capt. Job Wright. This Company you will Please to assign to such Post as you may conceive will conduce most to the public service; appointing such one (or two if necessy) of the Subalterns as shall appear to have enlisted the greatest number of men, to do duty as such therein. By the Representation of the officers of these Corps, I am informed that a number of men have been enlisted since the time limited by law, under an idea that the Legislature at their late meeting had prolonged the time. With Respect to these I am unauthorised to give any orders, but if they will voluntarily consent to continue under their pres't. engagem't. until the sense of the Legislature can be taken respecting them at their next meeting, there can be no objection ag't. it, otherwise they are discharged, of course, as the officer's authority for enlisting, had ceased. I am Sir &c Colo. Willet. [No. 4208.] The Several States Called Upon to Fill Their Quotas by the 1st of March, 1782. By the United States in Congress Assembled. December 10th, 1781. Resolved, That the legislature of each State raise, at the expence thereof in the first instance to be reimbursed by the United States, so many men as may be necessary to compleat the quota assigned to such State, out of the number of land forces agreed upon in the resolution of the third and twenty first days of October 1780 calculating the deficiency upon the number of men whose time of service will expire on or before the first day of March 1782. Resolved, That the legislature of each State be called upon in the most pressing manner to cause the quota thereof of land forces to be compleated and in the field by the first day of March next and to provide for replacing those men whose time of service shall expire between the said first day of March 1782 and the last day of November in the said year. Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislature of each State to fill up the quota thereof of land forces by enlistments for three years or during the War. Resolved, That such States as now have any Non commissioned officers or privates in any of the regiments of Cavalry, legionary corps, Artillery or Hazen's regiment be credited in their quotas for such men according to the numbers from time to time; for which purpose the Commander in Chief is hereby directed to specify such Non commissioned Officers and privates to the States to which they formerly belonged in the returns which he shall make to the States and in his annual return to Congress. Resolved, That the Commander in Chief cause returns to be made as speedily as possible to the legislature of each State as well of the number of men whose time of service expire before the first day of March 1782 as of those whose time of service will expire on or before the last day of November in the year aforesaid. Extract from the Minutes. Chas. Thomson, Secy [No. 4209-10.] Petitions for Pardon of Thomas Wood. [No. 4211.] Governor Clinton Turns the Matter of the Insurrection in Gansevoort's Brigade Over to the Civil Authorities. Poughkeepsie, Decr. 11th, 1781. Sir, By a Letter from Brig'r. Gen'l. Gansevoort of the 6th Inst. transmitted by Express, I am informed that a dangerous Insurrection has taken place within his Brigade; and that conformable to the Law for regulating the Militia, he has detached part of his Brigade to quell the Insurgents; altho' I approve of his Conduct in this Instance, yet it is my earnest wish as far as |